§ MR. SPEAKER informed the House, that he had received from the Judges selected for the Trial of Election Petitions, pursuant to the Parliamentary Elections Act, 18G8, Reports relating to the Elections for the Ayr District of Burghs; and the Isle of Wight. And the same were severally read to the effect following:—
§ Ayr Burghs Election—Lord Neaves reported that "an application having been made by the Petitioner to withdraw the Petition, the parties were, by previous appointment, this day heard upon the application before me, and after due notice no other party having appeared proposing to be substituted as Petitioner, the Petition was held to be withdrawn, the Petitioner being found liable to pay the costs of the Respondent, in terms of the Statute: and that the withdrawal of this Petition was not the result of any corrupt arrangement between the Petitioner and Respondent."
§ Isle of Wight Election—Mr. Justice Grove reported "that on the fifteenth day of April 1874," a Summons came on to be heard before me in the matter of this Petition, on behalf of the Petitioner, for liberty to withdraw such Petition, and upon hearing the Attornies or Agents on both sides, and upon reading the affidavits produced before me by and on behalf of the respective parties, and upon examining the Agents for the Petitioner and Respondent respectively upon oath, I ordered that the Petitioner be at liberty to withdraw such Petition, and that he should pay to the Respondent his Costs." And that "in my opinion the withdrawal of such Petition was not the result of any corrupt arrangement, nor in consideration of the withdrawal of any other Petition."